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Omnivore Readies New Releases From Soul Man Winfield Parker, Jazz Great Maynard Ferguson

February 4, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Winfield Parker at Ru Jac

Omnivore Recordings continues to heat up winter 2016 with releases coming from R&B titan Winfield Parker and late jazz giant Maynard Ferguson. Throughout his long career which happily continues to this day, Winfield Parker has shared stages with the illustrious likes of James Brown, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Little Richard, Etta James, Carla Thomas and Lloyd Price.  Parker began his singing career at Baltimore's Ru-Jac label, one of America's first African-American-owned record

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Categories: News Formats: CD, Digital Download, Vinyl Genre: Jazz, R&B/Soul Tags: Maynard Ferguson, Winfield Parker

Mint Audio, H&H, Voice Masters Offer New Stereo Recordings From Sinatra, Presley

February 4, 2016 By Randy Fairman 46 Comments

Elvis The New Sessions

Good news for those who enjoyed last year's releases from Mint Audio featuring Rosemary Clooney and Jim Reeves.  The U.K.-based label, also responsible for a wonderful concert release from Matt Monro, has added Elvis Presley's The New Sessions to its release slate, while a companion title - Frank Sinatra's The New Recordings - has arrived courtesy of H&H Music.  Like the Clooney and Reeves sets, both of these (produced in association with Voice Masters) marry the artists' original vocals to

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Categories: News Formats: CD, Digital Download Genre: Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal Tags: Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra

RPM Collects Mod-Rockers The Mickey Finn, Reissues Two Albums From Tim Rose

February 3, 2016 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Mickey Finn Garden of My Mind

Cherry Red's RPM label closed out 2015 on a high note with a couple of releases in today's spotlight, from mod rockers The Mickey Finn and singer-songwriter Tim Rose. The Mickey Finn traveled in the same circles as The Rolling Stones and The Pretty Things, but despite some very close calls, the band never hit the big time.  Garden of My Mind: The Complete Recordings collects The Mickey Finn's 1964-1967 Blue Beat, Oriole, Columbia, Polydor and Direction singles along with previously unreleased

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: The Mickey Finn, Tim Rose

Popsicles, Icicles and More: Ace Collects The Best of The Murmaids

February 2, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

The Murmaids

Ace Records has recently made quite a splash with the first-ever comprehensive compendium from one-hit wonder girl group The Murmaids.  But as the collection so accurately titled A Few of the Things We Love reveals, the girls had more to offer than just "Popsicles and Icicles."  This collection is pure girl group manna! That nostalgic composition by the young David Gates, pre-"Make It with You" and "Baby I'm a-Want You" fame, of course kicks off this 21-track anthology comprising The

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: CD Genre: Pop Tags: The Murmaids

What About Now: Daughtry Announces Hits Compilation

February 1, 2016 By Mike Duquette 2 Comments

Daughtry Its Not Over

The idea of a greatest hits album seems to get smaller and smaller as the music business does, so it's always noteworthy when a newer artist releases one. Such is the case for Chris Daughtry, the American Idol runner-up who remained a consistent pop-rocker after his time on the show had ended. The forthcoming It's Not Over...The Hits So Far chronicles that decade in one succinct package. Daughtry, who finished the singing competition in fourth place behind winner Taylor Hicks and runner-up

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Rock Tags: Daughtry

A Little Bit Micky, A Little Bit Peter: 7a Presents Dolenz and Noone In Conversation On CD

January 28, 2016 By Joe Marchese 4 Comments

Peter and Micky

A Monkee and a Hermit walk into a bar... Well, actually it was a theatre, The Monkee was Micky Dolenz, and the Hermit was none other than Herman himself, Peter Noone.  Just last month, sixties survivors and music legends Dolenz and Noone shared a stage together for three intimate evenings of candid conversation.   Those lucky enough to attend one of the talks (including yours truly) won't soon forget the pair's easy camaraderie and seemingly endless well of riotous and revealing

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Pop Tags: Herman's Hermits, Micky Dolenz, Peter Noone, The Monkees

Shoot Me (With Your Love): Tasha Thomas' Disco "Rendezvous" Is Expanded By SoulMusic Records

January 28, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Tasha Thomas Midnight

In recent weeks, SoulMusic Records has kept up its busy slate.  Through the Caroline label, SMR has offered up reissues of The Dells' Charles Stepney-produced Cadet album Freedom Means (featuring classics like "One Less Bell to Answer," "If You Go Away" and "Make It with You"), The Dramatics' ABC release Shake It Well (featuring the hit R&B title track) and Evelyn "Champagne" King's 1988 RCA album Flirt.  Through Cherry Red Group, SoulMusic has also reissued Tasha Thomas' 1979 Midnight

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Disco/Dance, R&B/Soul Tags: Tasha Thomas

Let the Good Times Roll: New Cars Box and Compilation Announced

January 27, 2016 By Mike Duquette 12 Comments

The Cars Moving in Stereo

Though The Cars didn't make it into this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class, it's always a good time to remember the Boston-based New Wave icons--and a new box set and compilation aim to do just that. On March 11, Rhino will release The Elektra Years 1978-1987, a six-disc box set offering all six of the band's albums--The Cars (1978), Candy-O (1979), Panorama (1980), Shake It Up (1981), Heartbeat City (1984) and Door to Door (1987)--all newly remastered. (This marks the first time that

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Pop, Rock Tags: The Cars

Rock On! 7Ts Reissues David Essex's First Three Albums

January 26, 2016 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

David Essex Rock On

7Ts Records - Cherry Red's imprint dedicated to all things seventies, returned late last year to the catalogue of one of its favorite artists, David Essex, for a trio of album reissues.  The stage and screen star's first three solo albums - Rock On, David Essex, and All the Fun of the Fair - are all newly available from 7Ts, with the latter two in slightly expanded form. David Essex, OBE, was born David Albert Cook in 1947. Since making his record debut on the Fontana label in 1965, he has

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Pop Tags: David Essex

Wouldn't It Be Loverly: Analog Spark Reissues "My Fair Lady," "West Side Story," "Fiddler" On Vinyl

January 25, 2016 By Joe Marchese 12 Comments

My Fair Lady Vinyl

Following its vinyl and SACD presentations of the original soundtrack of 1965's The Sound of Music and its 40th anniversary vinyl pressing of 1975's original Broadway cast recording of A Chorus Line, Razor and Tie's audiophile division Analog Spark has turned its attention to three more classic cast albums.  My Fair Lady (1956), West Side Story (1958) and Fiddler on the Roof (1964) are all now available from Analog Spark in newly-remastered, 180-gram deluxe audiophile vinyl editions.  These are

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Categories: News Formats: Vinyl Genre: Cast Recordings Tags: Alan Jay Lerner, Chita Rivera, Frederick Loewe, Jerry Bock, Julie Andrews, Leonard Bernstein, Sheldon Harnick, Stephen Sondheim

Soul Beat: Ace Collects Previously Unreleased B.B. King

January 25, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

BB King Heres One

At the time of his death on May 14, 2015 at the age of 89, legendary bluesman Riley B. "B.B." King left behind more than 60 studio and live albums, not to mention countless anthologies drawing on different aspects and time periods of his extraordinary career.  Late in the year, though, Ace Records added another key collection to that total with the release of Here's One You Didn't Know About: From the RPM and Kent Vaults.  All but two tracks on this 25-song, nearly 80-minute CD are previously

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Blues, R&B/Soul Tags: B.B. King

Souvenirs: Esoteric Reissues Two Albums From Welsh Prog Band Eyes of Blue

January 22, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Eyes of Blue Crossroads of Time

The Welsh progressive rock band Eyes of Blue had its share of ups and downs - the "ups" certainly including gigs opening for The Spencer Davis Group, The Move, The Moody Blues, The Who, and Led Zeppelin, and the "downs" relating to the promising group's flameout in a short period of time.  Late in 2015, Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings imprint shone a light on Eyes of Blue with the first authorized CD releases of the band's two Mercury albums, both from 1969: Crossroads of Time and In Fields of

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock Tags: Eyes of Blue

You're Welcome: Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie Curates Mix Featuring Beach Boys, Byrds, Dion, More

January 21, 2016 By Joe Marchese 3 Comments

Bobby Gillespie Sunday

Among Ace Records' recent releases is a collection that just might make you scream - make that "Primal Scream" - with elation.  Bobby Gillespie Presents Sunday Morning Comin' Down is a mix CD curated by Primal Scream founder/Jesus and Mary Chain drummer.  The Glasgow-born singer/songwriter/musician has selected 20 of his favorite tracks for Ace, and the result is a set that not only illuminates Gillespie's influences as an artist but stands on its own with thematic and sonic coherence.  In

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Categories: News Formats: CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Pop, Rock Tags: Dion, John Barry, Kris Kristofferson, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, The Monkees, Various Artists

Big Break Records "Breaks Away" with Al Jarreau, Rose Royce

January 20, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Al Jarreau Breakin Away

Accompanying the recent releases from The Spinners and Frantique, Big Break Records rounded out its 2015 slate with a pair of titles from Al Jarreau and Rose Royce. Renowned vocalist Al Jarreau made his album debut in 1975 with the Reprise Records release We Got By, a collection of original songs from the jazz-rooted singer.  He followed that effort with Glow, incorporating tracks by a wide range of writers including Elton John, James Taylor and Antonio Carlos Jobim.  Jarreau was slowly but

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Disco/Dance, Funk, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Al Jarreau, Rose Royce

Brass, Ivory and Strings: Vocalion Goes Quadraphonic With Mancini, Cramer, Como and Montenegro

January 19, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Mancini and Severinsen Two Fer

The U.K.-based Vocalion label had a treat for surround-sound fans with the label's Christmas 2015 batch of releases.  Vocalion has plucked a number of titles from the RCA vaults for presentation in 4.0 quadraphonic sound on hybrid SACDs, with the albums' stereo layers playable on all CD players.  Perry Como, Henry Mancini, Floyd Cramer and Hugo Montenegro have all gotten the quad treatment. Perry (1974) and In Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas (1970) have been culled from the

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Categories: News Formats: SACD Genre: Pop Tags: Floyd Cramer, Henry Mancini, Hugo Montenegro, Perry Como

In Memoriam: Glenn Frey (1948-2016)

January 19, 2016 By Joe Marchese 6 Comments

Glenn Frey 1

Glenn Frey's California may have been something out of a dream, a golden land of peaceful, easy feelings, tequila sunrises, and takin' it to the limit.  As a founding member of Eagles, Frey spread the gospel of fast cars, beautiful women and eternal sunshine around the world, picking up six Grammy Awards and 24 Top 40 singles, solo and with his band, along the way.  With his passing yesterday at age 67, popular music has lost one of its most cherished troubadours. Though born in Michigan,

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Categories: News Genre: Classic Rock Tags: Eagles, Glenn Frey

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man: Bob Dylan's "Bootleg - Live 1964" Coming In Surround Sound

January 18, 2016 By Joe Marchese 6 Comments

Dylan Live 1964 Bootleg SACD

The sixth volume of Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series is coming to 5.0 multichannel hybrid SACD from Audio Fidelity in March.  Live 1964: Concert at Philharmonic Hall was mixed into surround sound years ago by Sony, but the mix has sat on the shelf until now.  It will arrive March 18 as newly remastered by Steve Hoffman (with a remastered stereo layer playable on all CD players). First released in 2004, Bootleg Series Vol. 6 premiered Dylan's Halloween night concert from 1964 at New York's

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Categories: News Formats: SACD Genre: Classic Rock, Folk Tags: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez

Ooh Baby: Real Gone's March Slate Includes Unreleased Herbie Mann Together with Dave Mason and Mickey Gilley Anthologies Plus Limited Vinyl Reissues

January 15, 2016 By Randy Fairman 1 Comment

Dave Mason The Columbia Years

Yesterday we brought you the news of the upcoming Second Disc Records title to be released in conjunction with Real Gone Music: Bobby Darin's Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years anthology.  Now we've got the rest of Real Gone's March slate to tell you about and it's as excitingly eclectic as ever! Kicking things off is a CD that should be of great interest to jazz enthusiasts.  Herbie Mann is considered one of the greatest jazz flautists ever and was an early proponent of world music. 

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Categories: News Formats: CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks Tags: Bobby Darin, Dave Mason, Herbie Mann, Margaret Whiting, Mickey Gilley, The Lords of the New Church, The O'Jays, Whitney Houston

BREAKING! Bobby Darin's "The Motown Years" Coming In March From Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music!

January 14, 2016 By Joe Marchese 10 Comments

Bobby Darin Another Song on My Mind

Look out, old Bobby is back! Earlier this week, The Second Disc celebrated its sixth anniversary, and now, we're inviting you to the party!  Today, we're thrilled to announce our very first release of 2016.  On March 11, Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music will make a Reissue Theory a reality with a new title from two legendary icons of American popular song: Bobby Darin and Motown Records! Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years is the first-ever anthology dedicated to the

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul Tags: Bobby Darin

The Glow of Love: Groove Line Records Compiles The Music of Change, Featuring Luther Vandross, More

January 14, 2016 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

Change Reach for the Sky

If ever a group lived up to its name, that group was Change.  The brainchild of French-Italian music impresario and producer Jacques Fred Petrus, in collaboration with Italian-based producer/arranger Mauro Malavasi and bassist Davide Romani, Change released six albums between 1980 and 1985.  Built on infectiously danceable rhythms, melodic hooks and sublimely soulful vocals, the sound of Change was primarily created by a rotating cast of Italian-based musicians and America-based vocalists. 

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: CD Genre: Disco/Dance, R&B/Soul Tags: Change, Fonzi Thornton, Jocelyn Brown, Luther Vandross

Ain't It The Truth: Robinsongs Collects The Undisputed Truth's Post-Motown Albums

January 13, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Undisputed Truth Method Two Fer

When producer-songwriter Norman Whitfield departed Motown Records in 1975 to form his own Whitfield label at Warner Bros., he had already left his mark on Hitsville, USA with such immortal songs as "Too Many Fish in the Sea," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" and "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)." Whitfield had been instrumental in bringing "psychedelic soul" to Motown, incorporating rock and funk into his spacey yet socially-conscious soul jams.  In 1971,

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: R&B/Soul Tags: The Undisputed Truth

Kritzerland Brings Herrmann's "Snows," Intrada Delivers Goodwin's Disney "Oddball"

January 12, 2016 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

Kritzerland has announced its latest release, and it's another classic score from the pen of the legendary Bernard Herrmann (Psycho, Vertigo). Twentieth Century Fox's lavish 1952 film The Snows of Kilimanjaro starred Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward and Ava Gardner under the direction of Henry King and cinematography of the renowned Leon Shamroy.  Kilimanjaro, nominated for two Academy Awards, was one of the year's most successful movies, and yielded more memorable music from the veteran composer

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Soundtracks Tags: Bernard Herrmann, Ron Goodwin

Big Ace Records Round-Up, Part One: "Georgie Fame Heard Them Here First" and "The Birth of Surf, Volume 3"

January 12, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Georgie Fame Heard Them Here First

Welcome to the first part of our Ace Records late 2015 round-up spotlighting two of the label's recent releases: Georgie Fame Heard Them Here First and the third volume of The Birth of Surf. 2015 was a good year for fans of Georgie Fame.  The British singer, who has blended rhythm and blues, jazz, ska, beat, and soul into his own formidable style for over 50 years, was celebrated with BGO Records' collection of his CBS recordings (Georgie Does His Thing with Strings/Knock on Wood/The CBS As

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Blues, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Georgie Fame, Various Artists

In Memoriam: David Bowie (1947-2016)

January 11, 2016 By Joe Marchese 9 Comments

Bowie Pic

Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke, Aladdin Sane, The Goblin King - David Bowie was a man of many faces.  Yet ultimately his most haunting performance may have been as himself.  Late 2015 was a period of remarkable and ever-innovative artistry for a man who released his first single in 1964.  He revisited his film performance in The Man Who Fell to Earth by writing an off-Broadway musical, depicting its central character, the alien Newton (portrayed onstage by Michael C. Hall), as trapped in

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Categories: News Genre: Pop, Rock Tags: David Bowie

Strut Your Funky Stuff: Philadelphia International's "Frantique" Comes to CD

January 8, 2016 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Frantique

Everything about Philadelphia International Records' 1979 release of the self-titled album from Frantique was unexpected.  The cradle of Philly soul wasn't exactly a typical home for an LP of Eurodisco.  Nor was Frantique's benefactor someone particularly associated with disco, Euro- or otherwise - the legendary maestro of elegant and silky soul, Thom Bell.  But Bell had taken an interest in songwriter-producer Jack Robinson and his collaborator David Christie, enlisting them for projects by The

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Disco/Dance, R&B/Soul Tags: Frantique

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